States Rights and Nuclear Power

Under Vermont law the nuclear plant at Vernon was to close March 21 2012. And even though the owners had agreed to abide by that law, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission trumped that law, and today the plant still runs. The debate over states’ rights is not new, but the issue of whether or not those most affected by decisions get to participate in the decision making process is new when it comes to nuclear power. On this show, In These Times columnist John Raymond sheds much light into this murky matter which contains major ramifications for the future of the republic itself.